Facsimile recorder



C. J. YOUNG FAGS IMILE RECORDER May 13, 1947.

Filed Feb. 20, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l y 13, 1947- c. J. YOUNG 2 7 FACSIMILE RECORDER Filed Feb. 20, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 13, 1947. c J YOUNG FACSIMILE RECORDER Filed Feb. 20, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 C(ktorneg Patented May 13, 1947 FACSIMILE RECORDER Charles J. Young, Ardmore, Pa., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application February 20, 1941, Serial No. 379,820

8 Claims. (Cl. 234-68) This invention relates broadly to recorders of the type in which record sheets or blanks are successively impressed with a record; and more particularly to record sheet handling mechanism. It has for its primary object to provide an improved apparatus for successively moving and positioning the record sheets during the recording process.

Heretofore, in the recording of facsimile signals, it has been the custom to employ a record surface in the form of a roll of tape, and to provide roll feed mechanisms for moving such tape. There are numerous advantages in using a sheet feed recorder rather than a tape feed recorder. For example, a serious problem arises in preprinting information on the back of a continuous strip when it is desired to preprint a series of different pictures or messages prior to distribution of the record sheet supply. It is extremely difiicult to preprint a long series on a tape while preprinting a long series on a series of sheets is merely a problem of multiple printing such as presents itself in the printing of a magazine or book.

By providing a facsimile recorder adapted to record on individual sheets, it is possible to supply these individual sheets With preprinting on the reverse side. A supply of record sheets with preprinting on one side can be mailed periodically to the subscriber for him to insert in the supply sheet container. New piles of record sheets can be loaded before the old supply is exhausted. In a roll feed recorder, the roll must be changed at the time when it runs out, otherwise there would be waste. Furthermore, the machine need not be stopped while inserting a new supply of blank record sheets. Thus, service costs may be reduced.

Another object of this invention is to provide a facsimile recorder which is adapted to record on separate sheets.

In facsimile record sheet feed mechanism, it is particularly important that only a single thickness of paper be allowed to pass through the recorder at one time.

According to this invention, a record sheet feed mechanism is provided for a facsimile recorder, in which separate sheets are fed through the recorder automatically and mean are provided which insure that only one sheet at a time is fed to the machine.

Other and incidental objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from tion with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a top plan view showing one form of this invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view along line IIII of Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing in detail the record sheet driving means at the recording position,

Figure 4 is a sectional plan View taken along the line IVIV of Fig. 2 showing the record sheet feeding mechanism and drive,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line V-V of Fig. 4 showing the drive connection for the feeding mechanism,

Figure 6 is a view showin in more detail the record sheet clamping mechanism,

Figure 7 is a perspective View showing the record sheet container with one form of sheet clamping mechanism,

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing another form of record sheet clamping means,

Figure 9 is a perspective showing another method of notching the record sheet blanks,

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken along the line XX of Fig. 1,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line XI--XI of Fig. 10, and

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken along the line XIIXTI of Fig. 10.

Figs. 1 and 2' show record sheets i which are passed from the record sheet container 3 so that the record sheets are engaged along their margins between the revolving belts 5 and the wheels 'I and l. The larger wheel '1 revolves in the direction shown by the arrow so' that the sheet is carried between the helix carrying drum 8 and the cooperatingrecording member I9, up beneath the pulleys l and deposited into the record sheet receiving means 9.

An enclosure with a transparent top may be provided so that the subscriber may see the recording as it comes from the recorder. It will be noticed that the recording surface is up. It is preferable to also provide an opening in the enclosure such that record sheet blanks may be loaded frequently with fresh preprintin on the backs thereof.

The several parts of the recorder and the record sheet feed mechanism are carried for example by a pair of side plates 6, one of which appears in Fig. 1. The-usual scanning helix II is mounted on the surface of the drum 8 which is driven by the synchronous motor l5 through shaft H. The printing member I9 is adapted to cooperate with the helix l'l. Any goodtype of helix, printer bar and printer bar driving mechanism such as the type shown in my Reissue Patent 20,152, dated October 27, 1936, may be used. It is preferable that the helix rotate in the direction of the movement of the sheet so there will be no danger of the record sheet piling up at the printer bar. The printer bar l9 and its drive unit 20 is pivotally mounted on shaft 2| which is carried by the side plates The unit 20 is held firmly against studs 23, one at each side of the machine, by thumb screws 25. The usual printer member adjustment, for example of its biasing spring tension, positioned with respect to the helix H, or the like, is provided by screws 2?.

Carbon paper is fed from the supply r011 29, over the free running roller 31, under the printer member l9, around a guide rod 33, over the feed roller 35, with its associated pressure rollers 31, over the roller 39 and thence to the carbon paper takeup roll 6i. The width of the carbon paper is preferably less than the width of the record sheet to allow for margins. The carbon paper feed roller 35 is driven by motor l through double worm reduction gearing including worm gear 43 mounted on shaft I! engaging gear 45 on shaft 47 provided with a clutch 48 adapted to disengage the sheet feed from the printing mechanism and with worm gear 49 engaging gear 5! of shaft 53 upon which feed roller 35 is mounted.

The gear 5i meshes with the gear 55 on shaft 55 and fastened to the gear 55 is a pulley 51 which, by a slipping belt 5-9, turns the carbon paper takeup roll M.

In operation, a supply of record sheets I is placed in a stack in the record sheet container 3. In Fig. 7 there is shown a more detailed drawing of how the record sheets are notched. The notch 61 is cut slightly off center of the record sheet so that, by turning each alternate sheet over for example when a stack of sheets is made up manually, the notches will be positioned alternately as shown by Fig. '7. 'A spring 63 engages the bottom of the container 3 such that the stack of record sheets I is forced against the clamp member 65. The clamp member holds the stack of record sh ets i in the container with the exception of the top sheet.

The top sheet is removed from the stack by the finger 61 which is moved longitudinally in frictional contact with the top. A rack of gear teeth H (Figs. 2 and 4) is placed upon the rod 59 in such a position that it will engage a gear 13 mounted on the shaft 75 also supporting the belt pulley T6. The pulle I5 is driven b the belt 5 which is, in turn, driven by the pulley 1S fixed to shaft 53. The rack ll is adapted to engage the gear '33 when the cam member 11 mounted on shaft 56 allows the extension of the shaft 69 to fall down. The gear 13 is rotating slowly in a clockwise direction having a peripheral speed equal to the speed of the belt 5. This causes the sheet which is being removed from the stack by the member 61 to be advanced at the same rate as the carrier belt.

The top record sheet of the stack I is fed by the friction member 61 until its leading outside marginal edges are caught between the belts 5 and their associated pulleys 1. From that point, this sheet is held securely between the belts and pulleys as it passes the printing member [9 and feeds out between the belts 5 and the extensions 19 (Figs. 10 and 12) which are a part of the depositing mechanism, indicated in its entirety by reference character 85. One of these record sheet depositor members 85 is positioned on each side of the container 9.

The extension 79 of the depositing mechanism is pivoted upon a shaft 8| whose extension supports a cam follower 83 adapted to engage a cam member 85 (Figs. 10 and 11) on the belt pulleys 78. As the cam member 85 engages the cam follower 83, it turns the rod 8! so as to drop the member 2'9 away from the belt 5 thereby to release the grip on the record sheet I.

Upon release of a sheet I by the member 19 following a recording operation, this sheet is pressed down on the stack in the container 9 by members 8'! which are shown in plan and side elevation in Figs. 1 and 12, respectively. These members are located one at each side of the machine, and therefore, a description of one will sufiice for both. As shown in Fig. 12, a member 87 is carried by a corresponding shaft 8| so that it will rock to the dot-dash outline position of Fig. 12 when the cam 85 permits the shaft 8| to rock. The angular shape of the member 8'! permits it to project between the upper and lower runs of the belt 5 while at the same time being effective to engage a sheet i which has been discharged by the recorder. The record sheets are sometimes heavil charged with static electricity and the rapid action of the members 8'! prevent the record sheets from sticking. The dotted line view of the member 19 and 8? (Fig. 12) shows their positions as the cam follower 33 engages a depression in the cam 85 and the sheet is being deposited. When the sheet is deposited the members 19 and 31 are returned to their normal position as shown by the full lines by engagement of the cam follower 83 with the raised portion of the cam 85.

As the outside marginal edges of the blank rec- 0rd sheet have been engaged by the belts 5 and their associated pulleys '1, the feed mechanism prepares itself to feed a second record sheet. The clamping member 65 is rapidly swung to its second position, in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, disengaging the next succeeding sheet only.

In Fig. 4, there is shown a more detailed view of the clamp member drive mechanism. A crank 89 is mounted on the shaft 56 including the gear 55 and drives a member 9| which transmits its motion to rod 93. The gear 55 revolves one half revolution each time a new record sheet is fed to the machine and the rod 93 is moved first in one direction and then in the opposite direction during each complete revolution of gear wheel 55. As the rod 93 approaches the end of its movement in one direction, a spring member 95 connected to the rod 93 pulls the clamp member suddenly to its other position releasing another record sheet. As has been previously described, each of the record sheets has a notched edge and the notches are so positioned that notches of alternate sheets are under one position of the clamp member E5 and notches of alternate sheets are under the second position of the clamp member such that, when the member is in one position, the top sheet is disengaged and the record sheet underneath the top record sheet is clamped firmly by the member 65. As the clamp member 65 is in any one position, all the lower record sheets, engaged by the clamp member 65 are compressed so that the top loose sheet may easily slide off the stack. Sheet synchronizing means such as shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 2175,9419, issued October 24, 1939, to Maurice Artzt, may be used to insure that any one recording is complete on any one record sheet.

As shown in Fig. 8, the clamping member 65 may include, on the end thereof, a roller member 91 which rolls from one position to the other along the upper surface of the record sheet so that it will engage alternate sheets through the notched portion in each of the record sheets. In the modification employing the roller 91, the notches must be on the trailing edges of the sheets because the roller projects above the stack. It Will be understood that when the roller 91 is employed the spring 63 will force the stack of record sheets against the roller 91.

In Fig. 9, there is shown an alternate method for notching the record sheets I by which alternate corners of the record sheets are cut off such that the member 65 or the roller 91 or their counterparts may be so mechanically coupled as to engage alternate corners of the stack of record sheets.

While several systems for carrying this invention into effect have been indicated and described, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that this invention is by no means limited to the particular organizations shown and described, but that many modificati ns ay be m Without departing from the scope of this invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A message sheet handling device for subjecting separate sheets to a facsimile scanning operation comprising a cylinder, scanning means on said cylinder, a printing member cooperating with said scanning means on said cylinder, power drive means for rotating said cylinder, a pair of pulleys concentric with said cylinder, one of said pulleys being located adjacent each end thereof belts running on said pulleys whereby to propel a message sheet by cooperation of said pulleys with said belts, means for rotating said pulleys at a speed correlated with the speed of rotation of said cylinder to produce a line by line scanning action of a sheet being moved by said belts and pulleys, and means for advancing a sheet toward said pulleys at the same linear rate as the linear speed of said belts in cooperative engagement with said pulleys.

2. In a facsimile machine, a scanner which provides for the reception and positioning of a message sheet during movement of the scanner at a desired speed comprising a cylinder having a scanning member thereon, a printing member positioned to cooperate with said scanning member on said cylinder, a rotary support for a message sheet concentric with said cylinder, an endless belt, means to maintain said belt in operative contact with a message sheet on said rotary support whereby said belt in combination with said rotary support provides for supporting said sheet over less than the entire circumference of said rotary support, means to drive said cylinder at a desired scanning speed, and means to impart movement to said belt at a speed which is so correlated with respect to the speed of movement of said cylinder as to produce a line by line scanning action of said sheet.

3. A sheet handling device for use in connection with a recorder having a recorder member, comprising a container adapted to hold a supply of sheets, adjacent sheets dissimilarly notched and alternate sheets similarly notched, means for successively removing sheets from said container, and means for simultaneously clamping the remaining sheets in said container including a roller to engage the sheet adjacent to the sheet being removed at the position of the notch on the sheet being removed from the container,

means for successively conveying said sheets pastsaid recording member, a sheet receiving support, and means for successively depositing said sheets on said receiving support.

4. Facsimile apparatus comprising cooperating scanner elements constituting a scanner includ ing a member of cylindrical form for scanning'a sheet in repeating substantially linear paths, means provided by the scanner for advancing a sheet substantially in a direction normal to the said successive linear scanning paths to provide a second component of scanning motion which occurs at a velocity from line to line which is slow relative to the velocity of scansion along the said linear paths, said first named cooperating scanning elements and said sheet advancing means cooperating to support a sheet while in motion during a scanning operation, means for feeding individual sheets to the scanning device one at a time with the speed of feeding being substantially equal to the slower motional scan, ning rate, and means for discharging the said sheets from the scanning device with the completion of the scanning of a plurality of linear scanning paths which form collectively a bidimensional scanned area.

5. Facsimile apparatus comprising cooperating scanner elements including a member of cylindrical form for scanning a sheet in repeating substantially linear paths, a pair of cooperating means provided by the scanner for advancing the sheet substantially in a direction normal to said successive linear scanning traces to provide a second component of scanning motion which occurs at a velocity from line to line which is slow relative to the velocity of scansion along said linear paths, each one of said pair of means being located at opposite ends of said member of cylindrical form, said first named scanner elements and said second named means cooperating to support said sheet while in motion during a scanning operation, means for feeding individual sheets to the scanner one at a time with the speed of feeding being substantially equal to the slower motional scanning rate, and means for discharging the said sheets from the scanner promptly with the completion of the scanning thereof in successive linear strips which form collectively bidimensional scanning traces.

6. Facsimile apparatus comprising a scanning device including cooperating scanner elements for scanning a sheet in substantially linear paths, said scanning device including a rotatable element circular in cross-section around which said sheet is partially wrapped for support during a scanning operation, means also provided by the scanning device for advancing the sheet substantially in a direction normal to said successive linear scanning paths to provide a second component of scanning motion which occurs at a velocity from line to line which is slow relative to the velocity of scansion along said linear paths, drive means operatively coupled to said element and said sheet advancing means to drive the same at different speeds correlatedto produce scanning of a sheet, said element which is circular in cross-section and said sheet advancing means cooperating to support said sheet while in motion during a scanning operation, means for feeding individual sheets to the scanning device one at a time with the speed of feeding being substantially equal to the slower motional scanning rate, and means for discharging the said sheets from the scanning device with the completion of the scanning of a plurality of linear scanning strips which form collectively bidimensional scanned traces on the sheets.

7. Facsimile scanning apparatus comprising a scanning device having a helical scanning element and a presser bar, means operative to support and drive said helical element at a relatively high speed for scanning a record receiving medium in substantially linear paths, friction means frictionally to engage the record receiving medium to feed it between the helical member and the bar, said friction means serving to support said record receiving medium, said helical element rotating at a rapid speed whereby to keep said record receiving medium in a tangential relationship with the helical scanning element at the cooperating edge or the presser bar.

8. Facsimile apparatus comprising cooperating scanner elements including a member of cylindrical form for scanning a sheet in repeating substantially linear paths and cooperating drive elements located at each end of the cylindrical form, means provided by the scanner and drive elements for positioning the sheet in overlapping relationship relative to the cylinder and for advancing the sheet having a Width in excess of the cylinder height over the drive elements substantially in a direction normal to said successive linear scanning traces to provide a second component of scanning motion which occurs at a velocity from line to line Which is slow relative to the velocity or" scansion along said linear paths, means for feeding individual sheets to the scanher one at a time with the speed of feeding being substantially equal to the slower motional scanning rate and so that the sheets have an edge portion gripped by each of the drive elements, and means for discharging the said sheets from the drive elements and the cylindrical member of the scanner promptly with the completion of the scanning thereof in successive linear strips which form collectively bidimensional scanning traces.

CHARLES J. YOUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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